It’s already complicated being a teenager and sometimes braces can only worsen the struggle faced by a young person while they navigate their way through adolescence. Braces can cause self-esteem issues and be nuisances in everyday activities such as eating, talking and playing sports. However, the work is always worth it in the end! In this article, we look at how we can help teenagers through their treatment and hopefully make it that little bit easier.

Investigate Alternatives

In many cases, there will be alternatives to a regular brace that can achieve the same result. If your teenager is particularly unhappy with the effect that braces have on their appearance, then you can look into lingual braces or Invisalign . These treatments can be more expensive than a traditional external brace, but if it makes the patient significantly happier then that means an easier life for them, their parents and their orthodontist!

Find Someone Who Can Empathise

Sometimes braces can be uncomfortable, painful and frustrating to wear. If you had braces yourself in the past, then talk about your experience with your teenager so that they know that you understand what they’re going through. If you’ve never had a brace, then ask a family member who has to have a chat with your child so that they feel they have someone to talk to about their issues.

Perhaps an older sibling or cousin had braces previously and can show your teenager before and after photos of their treatment so that they know it’ll be worth it in the end – the important thing is that your teenager knows they aren’t alone.

Turn Low Self Esteem into Brace Pride

We live in a modern society and wearing braces doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Spend some time with your teenager looking at photos of celebrities who wear or have worn braces and you’ll be surprised at what you find. Try searching Instagram for #braces, #braceface or even #babeswithbraces and you’ll instantly find thousands of photos of people happily undergoing orthodontic treatment. A brace is an investment in a future perfect smile and with many options of colours and types of braces, your teenager has some control over customising their look.

Focus on Results

Your Brisbane orthodontist will be able to give you a rough estimation of how long the treatment will take, so keep your teenager upbeat by focusing on how soon the day will come when they are brace-free with a beautiful straight smile. To your teenager, it may seem like they’ll be wearing the brace forever but with a busy life of schooling, extra-curricular activities and socialising, the final day will arrive in no time. Take photos along the way when their brace is changed so they can visualise their progress for extra motivation.

To find out about the range of braces we offer at Tony Weir Orthodontics, call us now on 07 3054 6767 or visit our contact page for more ways to get in touch.